Category Archive

Marketing

Think Category First, Brand Second

Posted on December 27, 2008 by Russell Shaw

One of the true pioneers of what is referred to in marketing as “positioning” is Al Ries. Al Ries and Jack Trout wrote the groundbreaking book, “Positioning, The Battle for Your Mind“. It is probably the most influential book on advertising ever written. That statement is on the cover of their 20th anniversary edition of their book. I really doubt anyone who knows much about marketing or advertising would dispute it. My favorite book by Ries and Trout is “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing“. I believe anyone who is going to spend any money advertising would benefit from reading

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The Seller HAS a Problem and Then BECOMES One

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Russell Shaw

The seller has a problem.  They have a house they want to sell and need to sell it at a certain price.  They hire an agent who takes on the task of selling the home. "Maybe if you had more open houses?" "Have you thought about running an ad in the Wall Street Journal?" "There are a lot of people from California with money because the prices are so high there.  Run an ad in the L.A. Times." "If you go to (large local employer) you can put a notice on their bulletin board about the house." This is just

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Predicting the Future of Residential Real Estate Brokerage

Posted on December 16, 2008 by Russell Shaw

Okay, so they’re not really all "100%".  Re/Max is now a maximum of a 95% split.  Further, most of the 100% companies have various other more traditional splits (IE: 70 – 30) for those who can’t pay the standard monthly bill.  But the overall trend for the industry is that most "mega agents" wind up at a 100% company and many of the major marque agents wind up eventually even leaving Re/Max to start their own company.  Re/Max was, at one time, the most agent-centric company in the business.  That has changed a bit.  Now at their national conventions the

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Will Real Estate Ever Have a 900 Pound Gorilla?

Posted on December 12, 2008 by Russell Shaw

Some fantastic viewpoints lately about the future of the residential real estate business.  A few see our business becoming more "agent-centric".  Others see it becoming almost exclusively "broker-centric": the big broker brands will dominate by being consumer-centric.  Really?  What big brand?  Is there even ONE big brand that has a name (a brand?) that means anything to anybody?  The only national "big brands" that the agent public or the general public even thinks of as representing much of anything is either a discount company or a "100% company".  What one company is the most well known, most well thought of

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Listings. Listings. Listings. Still.

Posted on September 23, 2008 by Russell Shaw

From the Department of Homeland Stupidity comes the newly formed Department of Bailouts.  Is there now a sufficient level of converting the United States into a socialist economy for the New Regime President (aka, Treasury Secretary Paulson) to feel that his work is done? But the above isn’t my special area of expertise.  Showing fellow agents how to have a truly successful business is what I am known for.  And I find it funny (odd?) when I read something that directly contradicts what I know to be true on that particular subject.  It certainly isn’t the first time I’ve seen,

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The iRuss – a Look From the Other Side

Posted on June 12, 2008 by Russell Shaw

This post is in response to my last one.  I had no idea it would be so well received.   Having surveyed only myself, to me it was a post I tossed off.  This post consists of the responses to the questions and points raised. I want an iRuss also! A mini iPod crammed full of Russell Shaw podcasts and videos… You know, there could be some $$ that idea… Go to this page and load yours up.  Scroll down to the lower half for the audio and video content. sometimes as we are at the appointment, we learn about things

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The Realtor Success Series Page is finally UP!

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Russell Shaw

This is something I have wanted to have for a couple of years.  Finally it is something that is "done".  Done is a relative word, as I will continue to add news posts to that page.  But at long last, all of the relevant posts and relevant audio and video (relevant to getting and getting rid of listings) is all accessible on ONE page. It took me several hours of pecking around to find them all (as I knew it would) but now anybody landing here can have full access to that material.  I won’t be surprised if I wind

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